Transposer.



J. J. SCHWAB.

TRANSPOSER.

APPLICATION FILED runs. was.

1 ,2 1 6,852 Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

diurnvgs J. J. SCHWAB.

TRANSPOSER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 1916.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Rm m s mm @ftumrgs JOHN JosnPn SCHWAB, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

TRANSPOSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

Application filed May 23, 1916. Serial No. 99,454.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN J. SCIIWAB, a. citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transposers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to transposers for player pianos and like instruments, and has for an object to provide pneumatic means under the convenient control of the operator for shifting the tracker bar through a predetermined movement in either direction from normal, and locking it at the limit of such predetermined movement whereby the relation of the holes of the tracker bar to the music sheet is changed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a transposer having means for automatically returning the tracker bar exactly to normal, and retaining it in such normal position when released from locking position.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby when the tracker bar has been shifted in either direction from normal further action of the shifting means is impossible or innocuous, and no further action of the tracker bar can be accomplished until. the tracker bar has been again released and returned to normal.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view of a music box seen in front elevation with the improved transposing device attachedthereto, with the tracker bar shown at normal.

Fig. is similar view broken, showing the tracker bar shifted to the right.

hi is a top plan view.

l 1g. l; is a view in end elevation, as indi ated by arrow -l at Figs. 1, 221ml 3;

Like characters ofreference'designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The improved transposing device which forms the subject-matter of the present application'is adapted to he used in conjunction with a music box of substantially the usual and ordinary type, embodying the cheek-plates and 11 carrying the winding roll 12 and spool-holding studs 13 and 11, the winding and rewinding mechanism not being shown as the device is adapted to operate in conjunction with any such mechamsm.

The tracker bar 15 is slidably mounted. by being provided with rods 16 and 17 at one end and 18 and 19 at the opposite end, all inserted and slidable through complementary openings in the cheek-plates 10 and 11.

The rods 17 and 19 are of such length that when the tracker bar is in normal position, as shown at Fig. 1, the ends of such rods are flush with the outer surfaces of the cheekplates 10 and 11, with springs 20 and 21 hearing against such surfaces and retaining the tracker bar yieldingly in normal position.

The rods 16 and 18 extend beyond the outer surfaces of the cheek-plates a predetermined distance, and one as 16 is pro dried with notches 22 and 23 properly proportioned to be engaged by the latch 24- when the tracker bar 15 has been moved in either direction against the tension of one of: the springs 20 or 21; but when in normal position the notches 22 and 23 are substantially equally spaced upon opposite sides of the latch 24: which bears upon the rod 16 and is not in engagement with any notch, so that in normal position the tracker bar not latched but may be moved in either direction, and when so moved will be enga god by the latch 24 as shown at Fig. 2. The latch 24. is controlled by a pneumatic 25. a link 26 being employed to connect the pneumatic with the latch, and the pneumatic being held normally yieldingly inflated in the usual well-known manner. The pneumatic is provided with a primary valve 27 of substantially the usual and ordinary type to which leads a conduit 28 communicating with the atmospheric valve 29.

Upon opposite sides of the cheek-plates 10 and 11 the eccentrics 30 and 31 are mounted in any approved manner as by employing the brackets 32 and 33, such eccentrics being properly proportioned and positioned to engage against the extremities respectively of the rods" 16' and 18 when such eccentrics are rotated upon their axes. In normal position the eccentrics 30 and 31 are provided with notches 34 and 35 which permit the longitudinal movement ol the tracker bar 15 as indicated more particularly at Fig. 2, and when such a movement has been accomplished the engagement of the rod 18 with the notch 35 prevents the rotation oi. the eccentric 31 until the t 'ackcr bar has been returned to normal position by deflating the pneumatic 25, releasing the latch 21:, and permitting the spring 21 to act. In normal position either eccentric 30 or 31 which is rotated will engage against the end ot its respective rod 16 or 18 and move the tracker bar.

To rotate the eccentrics 30 and 81, levers 3G and 37 respectively are employed, and pncumatics 38 and 3!) are connected respectively by links 4-0 and 41. When, therefore, the pneumatics 38 or 39 are either of them deflated it will cause a partial rotation of the eccentrics 30 or 31 to move the tracker bar as indicated at Fig. 2.

All of the pneumatics 25, 3S and 39 are connected to the wind chest by means of a conduit 42 and the necessary and usual connections 43 and 4 1 and the pneumatics 38 and 39 are respectively provided with primary valves 45 and L6 which, like the primary 27, are of the usual and ordinary type and are provided with conduits d7 and 48 respectively, communicating with manual atmospheric valves 49 and 50.

While the manual atmospheric valves 29, 19 and 50 have been shown as located in the bottom of the music lOOX, it is to be understood that they may be located anywhere convenient of access to the operator.

In operation, starting with the device positioned as at Fig. 1 with the tracker bar at normal, as soon as it is desired to shift the tracker bar to the right the push button a9 at the right of the normal button 29 is manually depressed, admitting atmospheric air to the primary 15.

The admission of atmospheric air to the primary 4:5 actuates such primary to open communication between the wind chest and the pneumatic 38 whereby the pneumatic 38 normally under atmospheric pressure is submitted to the exhaust and deflated, and its closing actuates the lever 36 and eccentric 80 which engages the extremity of the rod 16 to move the tracker bar to the right to the position shown at Fig. 2, in which position the latch 24c engages the notch 22, and locks such tracker bar in such position, the spring 21 remaining under tension. In this position, it the button 50 be depressed no result is accomplished as the rod 18 is engaging the notch 35 of the eccentric 31 and prevents the collapse of the pneumatic 39, while it the button l9 be again actuated the eccentric 30 will rotate without having any etiect, and nothing can now be accomplished until the tracker bar is returned to normal position which is accomplished by actuating the normal button 29, admitting air to the primary 27 which, being actuated, sets up communication between the wind chest and the pneumatic to actuate hc latch 24!; to release the tracker bar and permit the spring 21 to return such tracker bar to normal position. In such normal position the tracker bar may be again shifted to the right as shown at Fig. 2 by repeating the process, or may be shifted to the left by depressing the button 50 which operates in all respects similar to shitting to the right, except that the pneumatic 39 is the pneumatic now de- Hated, and the eccentric 31 the eccentric which will obviously be rotated to move the tracker bar 15.

I claim I 1. The combination with a music box embodying a winding roll and supporting cheek-plates, of a tracker bar mounted between the cheek-plates and longitudinally slidable, means for yieldingly holding the tracker bar in normal position, means to move the tracker bar in either direction from normal, means to latch the tracker bar in such acquired position, and manually operable means tor releasing the latch.

2. The combination with a music box embodying a winding roll and supporting cheek-plates, of a tracker bar supported between and slidable relative to the cheekplates, means to hold the tracker bar normally yieldingly centered relative to the cheek-plates, pneumatic means for moving the tracker bar in either direction from normal, means to latch the tracker bar in either such acquired positions, and manually conprolled pneumatic means for releasing the atch.

3. The combination with a music boX embodying a winding roll and supporting latch, manual valves, and conduits leading from the several pneumatics to the manual valves.

i. The combination with a music box embodying a winding roll and supporting cheek-plates, of a tracker bar supported be tween and slidable relative to the cheekplates, means to hold the tracker bar normally yieldingly centered relative to the cheek-plates, rods carried by the tracker bar extending through and beyond the remote surfaces of the cheek-plates, cams positioned T to bear against the ends of the rods, a pneumatic connected with each of the cams and adapted separately to actuate the cam to move the tracker bar in either direction. a latch adapted to maintain the tracker bar in such acquired position, a pneumatic connected with the latch, manual valves, and conduits connecting the several pneumatics with their respective valves,

The combination with a music box embodying a winding roll and supporting cheek-plates, of a tracker bar located be tween and slidable relative to the cheekplates, rods carried by the tracker bar and extending beyond the remote sides of the cheek-plates, eccentrics journaled to bear peripherally upon the ends of the rods and to more the tracker bar in either direction, and notches formed in each of the eccentrics positioned to be engaged by the rods when the tracker bar is moved by the opposite eccentric.

6. The combination with a music box embodying a winding roll and supporting cheek-plates, of a tracker bar mounted between and slidable relative to the cheek plates, rods carried by the tracker bar and extending through and beyond the remote sides of the cheek-plates, eccentrics mounted upon the remote sides of the cheek-plates and positioned to bear upon the extremities of the rods, and means whereby the rod locks one of the eccentrics against action when the other eccentric has operated to move the tracker bar.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN JOSEPH SCI-IVAB. \Vitnesses FRANCIS CONNOR, Dr, ALvnnno RAWLINGS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

